United Way reports local losses, successes at annual breakfast

Summersill Elementary teacher Cathy Lanier receives the car keys to her new Chevrolet Sonic from United Way board member Lyndsey Carter during the annual United Way breakfast at Jacksonville Country Club Wednesday morning. The car was given as a prize from Marine Chevrolet as part of an incentive program for United Way's campaign "Change the Story."

Maria Sestito/The Daily News

By CHRISTOPHER THOMAS - Daily News Staff

Published: Thursday, March 27, 2014 at 09:00 AM.

Wednesday was a day of reflection for the United Way of Onslow County as its members gathered for the annual Meeting and Campaign Celebration Breakfast.

According to Craig Wagner, president of the organization, the 2013-14 campaign season reflected a tough year for the county as donations dropped off by nearly $100,000. In the 2012-2013 season, the organization raised $502,627. The total was $403,505 during the 2013-14 season.

“It was the lowest campaign in more than a decade,” Wagner said. “It tells me that there are hard times the community is facing. It’s a dichotomy of sorts ... Anytime you see a drop in a community’s status, the needs it faces skyrocket.”

Wagner said, though, that the organization picked up $177,000 in grant money that made up for this year’s lack of funding and went to self-sufficiency programs including the Community Advisory Network Development Onslow County (CAN-DO) program, which helps homeless families and individuals find stable housing. One of the program’s “success stories,” Holly Hockstok, spoke at the breakfast.

During her presentation, Hockstok, a counselor for those with substance abuse addictions, said she and her two children became homeless after leaving her abusive husband. According to Hockstok, she stayed at the Onslow Women’s Center safe house for four months while working two jobs and earning her master’s degree. She said she was making too much to qualify for assistance from social programs and making too little to save for a deposit on a safe dwelling for her and her family.

“People were nice today, but when you’re going through it and asking people for help, people aren’t always so nice then,” Hockstok said. “I had people tell me to drop out of school and move back home, but my abuser would have found me there.”

She thanked the United Way, as well as the Onslow Women’s Center, in her presentation and said her experience, though not always a pleasant one, has been an affirming one.

“Getting that degree is the reason I can support my family now,” Hockstok said. “Right now, I’m not able to donate, but I wanted people to know that their donations are going to help people that need it most.”

According to Wagner, the CAN-DO program has served 23 families and more than 70 individuals in the past year while reducing the childhood homeless rate by 13 percent.

The breakfast also recognized individual donors who contributed at least $78 ($1.50 per week for a year) to the United Way and were entered into a drawing for a 2013 Chevy Sonic from Marine Chevrolet. This year’s winner was Elaine Selgren, a first grade teacher at Sand Ridge Elementary School in Hubert. Selgren said she was “overwhelmed with joy,” saying she was not only happy that she has a new set of car keys, but that her money is going to meet community needs.

“I like the fact that the United Way gives back to the community and the money stays here,” Selgren said. “I see the needs of our kids in the classroom and it’s great that the funds stay here with them through (initiatives like) the weekend meal program.”

Wagner said that though he could not report an increase in contributions this year, there’s still hope for the 2014-15 campaign and hopes to hear more stories like the one shared by Hockstok.

Christopher Thomas is a staff writer for the Daily News. To contact him, send an e-mail to christopher.thomas@jdnews.com. For online subscription information, click here

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Wednesday was a day of reflection for the United Way of Onslow County as its members gathered for the annual Meeting and Campaign Celebration Breakfast.

According to Craig Wagner, president of the organization, the 2013-14 campaign season reflected a tough year for the county as donations dropped off by nearly $100,000. In the 2012-2013 season, the organization raised $502,627. The total was $403,505 during the 2013-14 season.

“It was the lowest campaign in more than a decade,” Wagner said. “It tells me that there are hard times the community is facing. It’s a dichotomy of sorts ... Anytime you see a drop in a community’s status, the needs it faces skyrocket.”

Wagner said, though, that the organization picked up $177,000 in grant money that made up for this year’s lack of funding and went to self-sufficiency programs including the Community Advisory Network Development Onslow County (CAN-DO) program, which helps homeless families and individuals find stable housing. One of the program’s “success stories,” Holly Hockstok, spoke at the breakfast.

During her presentation, Hockstok, a counselor for those with substance abuse addictions, said she and her two children became homeless after leaving her abusive husband. According to Hockstok, she stayed at the Onslow Women’s Center safe house for four months while working two jobs and earning her master’s degree. She said she was making too much to qualify for assistance from social programs and making too little to save for a deposit on a safe dwelling for her and her family.

“People were nice today, but when you’re going through it and asking people for help, people aren’t always so nice then,” Hockstok said. “I had people tell me to drop out of school and move back home, but my abuser would have found me there.”

She thanked the United Way, as well as the Onslow Women’s Center, in her presentation and said her experience, though not always a pleasant one, has been an affirming one.

“Getting that degree is the reason I can support my family now,” Hockstok said. “Right now, I’m not able to donate, but I wanted people to know that their donations are going to help people that need it most.”

According to Wagner, the CAN-DO program has served 23 families and more than 70 individuals in the past year while reducing the childhood homeless rate by 13 percent.

The breakfast also recognized individual donors who contributed at least $78 ($1.50 per week for a year) to the United Way and were entered into a drawing for a 2013 Chevy Sonic from Marine Chevrolet. This year’s winner was Elaine Selgren, a first grade teacher at Sand Ridge Elementary School in Hubert. Selgren said she was “overwhelmed with joy,” saying she was not only happy that she has a new set of car keys, but that her money is going to meet community needs.

“I like the fact that the United Way gives back to the community and the money stays here,” Selgren said. “I see the needs of our kids in the classroom and it’s great that the funds stay here with them through (initiatives like) the weekend meal program.”

Wagner said that though he could not report an increase in contributions this year, there’s still hope for the 2014-15 campaign and hopes to hear more stories like the one shared by Hockstok.

Christopher Thomas is a staff writer for the Daily News. To contact him, send an e-mail to christopher.thomas@jdnews.com. For online subscription information, click here